


Back to the Beginning

by Fandom_Trash224



Series: the art of thievery [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Arcana Swap (Persona Series), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Basically all the warnings you'd think for the first Palace's arc, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, I mean c'mon we all know how P5 is, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Police Brutality, Roleswap, Sexual Harassment, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29927424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Trash224/pseuds/Fandom_Trash224
Summary: Yusuke Kitagawa is a small-town street artist on probation for a crime he didn't actually commit. Makoto Niijima is the intelligent and beautiful student body president of Shujin Academy trying to find some way to protect the people she cares about. Morgana Takamaki is a brash and loud outcast at Shujin Academy, already labeled a delinquent despite only being a first-year. Ann is... a talking cat?When fate decides to shuffle the deck, a new Trickster is needed. Let us start the game.(arcanaswap/roleswap au, focuses on the prologue and first palace arc)
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke & Morgana, Kitagawa Yusuke & Niijima Makoto, Kitagawa Yusuke & Takamaki Ann, Kitagawa Yusuke & Togo Hifumi, Kitagawa Yusuke & Yoshida Toranosuke, Morgana & Niijima Makoto
Series: the art of thievery [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2200938
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!! Welcome to my little Arcanaswap, in which Yusuke is fool arcana, Ann is the mascot, and I fumble my way through plotholes and continuously go off track from this AU's original notes!
> 
> This fic will focus almost exclusively on the first arc of the game, Kamoshida's Palace. I am taking SO MANY liberties here for a variety of things, and I apologize if there are any like. MAJOR inaccuracies here and there.

His memories come in flashes.

The butt of a gun in his face. Free-falling. The horrified noises of his teammates as he hits the ground. He calls something out, a desperate order to  _ run _ to people he can hear but not see anymore. He hears their protests for only a second before static cuts through and ends it.

He’s forced down, several hands and knees have to be used. He struggles. He’s pretty sure he growls as a man approaches.

“Huh. Didn’t expect to find some  _ kid _ ,” He’s being mocked. He  _ definitely _ growls this time, some attempt at a biting remark, but foot suddenly digging hard into his back stops him. The man leans down. “You have your teammate to thank for this.”

His eyes go wide. The man chuckles, deep and  _ menacing _ . He’s grabbed by his hair, forced to look at the man.

“You were sold out. Tough luck, kid.”

The man walks away, leaving him in a numb state of…  _ something _ . Fear, probably. Even the Other Him is silent as someone says, “Suspect confirmed! Let’s cuff ‘im.”

\---

He’s awoken to a bucket of water being thrown on his face, and despite his first thought being something along the lines of “Tora-san, what the hell?”, he keeps it to himself. He’s not sure why, he just… feels he should.

A harsh voice, one that’s _ definitely  _ not Tora-san, barely manages to push through the haze clouding his mind. “No dozing off.”

He lets out a quiet groan, slowly forcing his heavy eyelids open, and sparks of panic and fear seem to arc through him as he takes in his surroundings. It’s a small, basic, grey room. There are three men in suits, counting the one with the harsh voice, and, well… That’s about it, really. 

What an aesthetically  _ bland _ room.

When he realizes he’s in handcuffs, bound to a chair, he can’t help but struggle, though everything feels like it takes ten times the normal effort to do. What  _ happened _ ? Where  _ is _ he? Why is he  _ here _ ?

He’s forgetting something. He knows he is. He can’t get past the fog in his mind.

“You still don’t get it, do ya?” The harsh-voiced man says, raising his foot. It’s brought down  _ right into his side _ , flinging him out of the chair and onto the cold, hard ground. His ribs burn. He’s pretty sure he just coughed up blood.

Something is being said to him, but between the foggy haze and blinding pain, he only hears about half of what is being said. 

“--You want another shot?”

His eyes catch on a needle, just past the harsh-voiced man’s leg, and he feels nauseous. What did they  _ do  _ to him? 

He looks to the corner of the room, eyes locking onto the camera as it seems to lock onto him. He can’t help but feel like that’s a bad thing, though… not for him? His head hurts.

Something is said to him again, but he doesn’t hear it, so he stays silent. This is apparently the wrong option, because it only earns him a snarled, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you any  _ manners _ ? Answer!”

That, and a kick to the gut that makes his ribs ache further and force himself to cough up more blood. 

He’s only half-listening as the man begins listing off a list of crimes-- a list of  _ his _ crimes, apparently-- and when the man says he’s surprised it was all being orchestrated by some  _ punk _ , and that he was enjoying every second of it, he can’t help but wonder what the  _ hell _ this guy is talking about.

He knows all those crimes are  _ bullshit _ . Maybe he did enjoy what he was doing, but he wasn’t doing… any of  _ that _ . He didn’t blackmail anyone, he didn’t-- He didn’t  _ kill _ anyone. He can’t remember  _ much _ , but he knows  _ that _ . 

The other two men step forward, ignoring the way he tenses up as they uncuff him and shove him into an upright sitting position, causing him to  _ wince _ . As he rubs his wrists-- bloodied and bruised from where the cuffs had dug into his skin-- the harsh-voiced man shoves a clipboard into his face.

As he eyes it warily, the man says, “Sign here. It’s a confession under your name.”

He snarls at the man, slapping the clipboard away. The man scowls.

“I see… Well, I need your hand to sign this, but…” A foot is brought down,  _ hard _ , onto his leg, causing him to cry out. It’s a mixture of a growl and scream, it tears up his throat as his vision swims. “I don’t really care if you  _ happen _ to lose a leg.”

When the pressure finally relents, he can’t help but hiss in relief. His face quickly morphs into a scowl, however, when the harsh-voiced man shoves the clipboard back into his face. In the interest of keeping his leg  _ mostly _ intact, he begrudgingly takes it, along with the pen that comes along with it.

As he does, however, the harsh-voiced man leans in close, snarling, “Don’t expect to walk out of here in one piece, if at all. We’re going to make you understand… One must take  _ full _ responsibility for their actions.”

He resists the urge to bite the man’s hand. He even holds back the growl that forms in the back of his throat as the man takes a step back, giving him room to sign his name.

His name…  _ his name _ … 

The pen seems to move of its own accord, scribbling down the name “Yusuke Kitagawa”. He probably should be  _ extremely  _ concerned that he couldn’t remember his own name for a bit, but he’s too focused on the fact that he was just forced to confess to crimes  _ he didn’t commit _ . 

_ Maybe _ the only one on the list that’s  _ mildly _ true is trespassing, but that’s not bad enough to warrant all the treatment he’s getting…  _ probably _ . He still can’t entirely think straight, some parts of his memory becoming vaguely comprehensible through the fog in his mind, but most of it is still a blur.

He can’t help but wonder why that makes him so worried.

\---

Yusuke doesn’t know if it’s minutes or hours that pass in isolation, sitting alone at a cold, metal table, before someone new walks in, but it causes him to tense up nonetheless. 

If the new man notices it, he doesn’t say anything, but his expression twitches between “forced, gruff apathy” and “outraged concern”. As he sits, Yusuke catches a glimpse of a gecko pin on the collar of the man’s suit jacket, and it sparks…  _ something _ in the back of his mind. He’s not sure what it is, but he has the feeling something about this man is  _ important _ .

“Huh,” The grey-haired man finally says, “Didn’t expect it to be you.”

Yusuke can’t help but remark dryly, “I get that a lot.”

“Hmph. From now on, you’re gonna be answering  _ my _ questions, got it?” His eyes flick over to one of the discarded syringes on the ground, then back to Yusuke, and he growls, “ _ Shit _ . You can hear me, right? They really did a number on ya. I can’t do a damn thing to stop ‘em, either, so we gotta get through this quickly, got it? I don’t have time for games.”

“Just who  _ are _ you?” Yusuke mutters, and the man’s eyebrows shoot up for just a moment before furrowing together.

“What the hell did they-- Nevermind. I’m Munehisa Iwai, a prosecutor,” Iwai sighs. “Who I am isn’t important right now. What I gotta know is what you did all this for. Why’d you cause such a  _ major _ incident? More important than all of that, though, is  _ how _ you did it. I knew it wasn’t a prank from the start, but since I couldn’t figure out  _ how _ you did it, I could never  _ do _ anything.”

Yusuke lets out a dry laugh, one that turns into a slight cough. “Of course you couldn’t figure it out. Why do you need to know, anyways?”

“This is my case. I need to know,” Something tells Yusuke that Iwai is lying, but before he can say anything about it, the older man just fixes him with an intense gaze and continues, “At least you’re coherent. Mostly. So, tell me: How and when did you find out about that…  _ other world _ ? What does it have to do with stealing hearts? Furthermore, how is that even  _ possible _ ? You gotta tell me  _ everything _ , from the start to end.”

Yusuke’s head throbs, his hand instinctively reaching up to clutch at it. The haze and pain are too much, he can’t… He can’t  _ remember _ …

Something floats into his field of vision. A glowing blue butterfly, floating past, its light helping beat back the fog in his memories. 

It speaks in a soft voice, “ _ You are held captive. A prisoner chained to a fate he never wished for, forced to play a rigged game. This is truly an unjust game. Your chances of winning are almost none, but if my voice is reaching you, there may be hope for us yet. Remember your bonds, the trust and truth you and your friends have grasped, and you shall be set free. Please, for everyone’s sake, recall what began almost half a year ago… And steal the victory of this game from those who would keep it from you, or all shall be lost. Please… save… _ ” 

As quickly as it appeared, it’s gone, and Yusuke looks back to Iwai. The older man is staring expectantly at him. “Well?”

“I suppose it all truly began,” Yusuke begins slowly, “At a cafe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come check me out on tumblr!
> 
> persona blog: tatsuya-didntdeservethis
> 
> main blog: fandom-trash224


	2. Awakening

**_Approximately Six Months Before Arrest_ ** ****

\---

The first thing Yusuke thinks when Yoshida shows him his attic room is that it’s a bit larger than he had actually expected. When he tells his temporary guardian this, the older man seems slightly surprised.

“What?” Yoshida begins, a light, humorous tone to his voice. “Did you think I would have you sleeping in a closet? I would allow you to stay at my house, but there are... extenuating circumstances, I’m afraid.”

“I see…” 

Considering the warm greeting he had received from Yoshida, he shouldn’t be very surprised that the man seems to genuinely care about his well-being, but after dealing with all the dirty looks and snide comments back home, he can’t help but be a bit wary.

“I’m afraid I have to keep watch over the shop, but if you need any help unpacking or cleaning up a bit, let me know. I don’t mind taking an early lunch,” Yoshida lets out a slight laugh. “Truth be told, I should have probably worked more to prepare the room, but this was all so short-notice--”

“It’s alright,” Yusuke says, offering the man a slight smile. “Thank you for taking me in.”

Yoshida offers a smile back. “Of course. One of my customers is a friend of your mother, and when she started panicking about finding you a place to stay, I figured I’d lend a hand--” Yoshida pauses, listening to the sound of the bell on the door ringing downstairs. “Oh dear, I really need to return to the store. Your extra luggage is right over there, feel free to do what you want up here, just try not to do anything that could break your parole. I’ll leave you to it!”

Yoshida hurries down the stairs, leaving Yusuke alone in the dusty, cluttered attic. The attic that would be serving as his home for the next  _ year _ . The teen sighs, staring at the simple cardboard box that his mother had used to send ahead all the extra little amenities he would be needing, from clothes to a toothbrush and, after a moment of debate, decides that literally anything would be more comfortable than his soon-to-be school uniform, no matter how loose-fitting it is. 

He instead opts to wear a simple but comfortable outfit, consisting of a short-sleeved blue button-up and his usual black pants. He knows that there are paint stains on the bottom hem of his shirt, but he really can’t find it in himself to care. Besides, there are more pressing matters, like tidying up his room a bit.

\---

By the time Yusuke’s done cleaning, it’s evening, and boy does he feel it. He runs a hand though his short hair, barely even acknowledging Yoshida as he comes back upstairs and suggests the young artist go to bed, since they have to be at the school tomorrow.

He all but flops back onto the bed, staring up at the drab wooden ceiling. If he’s going to be staying here a whole year, he’s going to need to do some decorating, or else he’s  _ almost positive _ he’s going to go insane.

A whole year… 

Yusuke scowls. Even after  _ everything _ he’s done for his hometown, all it took was  _ one incident _ \-- One incident that didn’t even  _ happen _ the way everyone says it did-- and suddenly he’s got a criminal record, he’s on probation, and his mother-- her disappointed eyes boring into his mind even from miles and miles away-- agrees to send him away to live with a man she didn’t even know  _ directly _ .

Yusuke supposes he’s lucky that the man took him in at all, much less that he’s been awfully kind about it.

He lets out a long, annoyed groan, sliding his hands down his face. There’s no point in dwelling on it, really. He can’t change what happened, or what he did. Not to mention he has to get up early, which means he should probably get ready for bed.

He gets his pajamas on, brushes his teeth, and lays down, pulling out his phone for one last check. His eyes instantly latch onto the strange-looking app, one with an eye for an icon. Just like the one he saw when he got off the train earlier.

He deletes it again, not willing to deal with it properly, and after putting it onto the charger, Yusuke closes his eyes.

\---

When he opens his eyes, he knows something is… wrong.

First of all, the ceiling is wrong. Instead of the brown wood of the attic rafters, it’s now a deep, solid blue. What on  _ Earth _ \--

“Hey, inmate!” A voice called out, “Get up already!”

Yusuke, after a moment of hesitation, does as he’s told in spite of the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. It’s then that he realizes just  _ how wrong _ everything is.

He’s trapped, first of all. Trapped in a cell with a single wall of thick glass with a few air holes along the top, like from that one horror movie he watched forever ago, sparsely decorated and looking like it’s seen better days. On top of that, he’s wearing what seems to be a hideous orange jumpsuit. Gross. 

Outside of the cell is a much larger room with dark blue walls and a light blue floor, a single door on the far side of the room. As he continues to look around, trying to hide his confused fear, he realizes that he’s  _ not alone _ .

There are three other people he can see, though based on the piano and singing in the background, he imagines there’s somebody else out there. Two of them seem way too young to be wearing the kind of uniforms they have on, one with a clipboard and her hair tucked into a long braid, another with a riding crop of some kind and her hair tied up in two small buns. It doesn’t take much to figure out that the one with the  _ actual weapon _ was the one who smacked his prison. What strikes him the most, however, is how…  _ symmetrical _ they seem to be. Like when parents attempt to dress up their twins similarly. 

Perhaps it’s the eye-patches? Though, he only gets a glimpse of those before they turn away from him. Regardless, they are not the only ones there.

Just in front of his cell, there’s a strange-looking man with an almost  _ cartoonishly _ long nose sitting at a desk. When Yusuke finally lands his gaze on him, the old man laughs, his voice  _ way too deep _ to not unsettle Yusuke further. 

“Welcome,” the old man says, “To my Velvet room.”

Yusuke moves forward, pressing a hand up against the glass wall of his cell-- his cell that doesn’t have a  _ door _ \-- and frowns.

“Velvet… room?” Yusuke begins slowly, “I’m sorry, how did I get here?”

“Do not worry, inmate,” the girl with the clipboard says, her voice soft but with a sense of maturity, “Your body is currently where it needs to be.”

“She means you’re asleep,” the other girl explains, her voice much harsher and childish, “You’re here because you’re dreaming.”

“Dreaming…?”

“Enough! You are in the presence of our master, and he has some important stuff to say, so you better listen up!”

“Do not worry, trickster,” the old man says, “I shall explain further. This is a place between dream and reality, mind and matter… A room that only those bound by a contract may enter.”

“Contract? I haven’t--”

A hard smack against the glass startles Yusuke enough to shut him up, if only to let the man continue.

“I am Igor, the master of this place. Do try to keep that in mind,” Igor pauses, and Yusuke nods for him to continue. At least he has a  _ name _ now. “I have summoned you here to discuss important things yet to come. Things that not only involve your life, but perhaps  _ much _ more.”

“Important-- What do you mean?” Yusuke slams a hand against the glass, frustrated and growing more confused by the moment. “Let me out!”

“Be quiet!” the girl with the buns shouts, slamming the glass once more. Despite all the abuse it’s taken so far, there doesn’t even seem to be a scratch on it. “Know your place,  _ inmate _ !”

Yusuke bites back a sour reply as Igor continues, “This place reflects the state of the contractor’s heart… There is much to unpack with your cell, in that case, though I think we can both agree that you are feeling trapped, imprisoned, even. A ‘prisoner’ of fate.”

Yusuke scowls, curling his hand into a fist against the glass, but not slamming it like he wants to. Dream or no, he has a feeling it’ll hurt quite a bit.

“What’s your point,” Yusuke says, then decides to tack on, “ _ Sir _ ?”

Igor laughs. “There is ruin coming, trickster. Very soon, it shall arrive, and you may be the only one who can face it.”

“Ruin… you don’t mean--”

“The end of everything, yes,” Yusuke is almost positive Igor’s already wide smile has just gotten a bit larger. “You are a perceptive one. But perception shall not be enough to fight off this ruin. You must be…  _ rehabilitated _ . Rehabilitated towards  _ freedom _ . The only question is: Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?”

“I don’t exactly have much of a choice, do I?” Yusuke asks, his tone solemn. “I’d rather like to avoid the end of the world.”

“Then please, allow us to observe your rehabilitation,” The twin girls nod, turning to face Yusuke properly once more. Igor lets out a slight laugh again. “Ah yes, my apologies for not introducing the other two. The one holding the clipboard to the left is Justine, the other, Caroline. They shall serve as your wardens here”

“You’re welcome to try and escape! You won’t get very far!” Caroline snarks, and Yusuke is very quickly deciding he doesn’t like her very much. 

“It is our duty as wardens to protect inmates, though we are also your collaborators. So long as you remain obedient, that is.” Justine adds, and despite her much calmer demeanor, Yusuke can’t help but feel a bit offended at the last part of her comment.

“Their roles shall be explained another time, but the night is waning… The time approaches. Take your time to understand this place, just know that we will surely meet again. Perhaps sooner than you’d think.”

Yusuke tries to say something more, maybe along the lines of “I have no idea what’s actually going on”, but before he can, a bell begins to go off from somewhere.

“Time’s up, inmate!” Caroline barks.

“It is time for you to return to your slumber.” Justine adds.

Yusuke can’t stop himself from slamming both of his fists against the glass, shouting in frustration, but the Velvet Room is quickly lost to a haze of inky blackness.

\---

The next day, when Yusuke wakes up, he tries to write off what happened as a dream. It’s probably for the best, he figures, since he doesn’t want to have to deal with a psych evaluation on top of…  _ everything else _ .

The day passes without much consequence. The principal gives him warnings, his teacher assures him everything will be fine, so long as he keeps his head down and continues to hone his already impressive craft, and all along the way, Yoshida is refreshingly pleasant and supportive. 

The way back, however, traffic is  _ terrible _ , and Yoshida sighs as he turns on the radio. 

“It would seem we’ll be stuck here for a bit. How unfortunate. Luckily, once you start taking the train tomorrow, this hopefully won’t be a problem,” Yoshida pauses, then asks, “I understand that Kosei took you in on a scholarship. I suppose that even with a criminal record, your talent is apparent, though I cannot help but ask… Do you think you will be okay there?”

Yusuke stares out of the passenger-side window in silence for a moment, then says, “I believe so. As far as I know, nobody save for the staff know of my criminal record. I don’t intend to cause any trouble, as well, so as long as nothing out of my control happens--” He doesn’t say  _ again _ , though he wants to. “--I should be alright.”

Yoshida smiles at him warmly, but there’s a touch of sadness to his eyes that makes the corners of Yusuke’s mouth turn downwards slightly. 

“I certainly hope so, Kitagawa-kun. I know how rumors and scandals can ruin one’s life as an adult, I imagine it’s much worse for a teenager. Just… be careful, alright? I’m not sure I’ll be able to do much to protect you if something happens.”

And there it is. “I understand. I appreciate you taking me in regardless.”

And he does. Even Kosei’s “generosity” had its limits, and they refused to let Yusuke live in the dorms. He remembers when his mother found that out. She had been worrying herself  _ sick _ with it, until she happily announced that someone was willing to take him in, telling Yusuke what he needed to know. It had been a relief for both of them, though Yusuke’s mostly came from knowing his mother wouldn’t  _ actually _ get sick from the stress of it.

“It’s nothing, honest. I was paid for it, of course, but that’s not what it’s about. Sometimes, doing a good deed is enough of a reward in itself.”

“Huh,” Yusuke lets out a slight laugh. “You almost sound like my mother.”

“She must be a very wise woman, then.”

“Indeed,” Yusuke says, a smile managing to find its way onto his face. “Kind, too. She taught me how to paint.”

“Did she now? She must be quite the artist.”

“She used to be…” 

The words leave Yusuke’s mouth in a wistful sigh before he can stop himself, but thankfully, before Yoshida can question him about it, the radio switches from the relaxing music to a breaking news report.

“Earlier today, a subway derailed at Shibuya station, injuring dozens of people and killing several others. This accident, one of many that have been plaguing Shibuya recently. All that is known for sure at this moment is that the accident will cause significant changes to the timetable all across--”

“Another accident,” Yoshida sighs out quietly. “I should’ve known that’s why traffic is all piled up. There have been quite a few of them, recently. It’s… quite concerning.”

“I can imagine…” Yusuke says, and it’s the last thing that is said for the entire ride home.

\---

The universe is filled with infinite possibilities. There are timelines on top of timelines, some with only the most  _ minute _ of changes, others that are so vastly different, it’s a wonder how they’re meant to be even tangentially related.

For instance, there is, somewhere out there, a timeline in which Yusuke Kitagawa did  _ not _ forget to grab his umbrella, which leads to him being calm enough to recognize which train he’s meant to be on, which in turn leads to him going straight to school and never  _ once _ having to deal with everything he’s about to go through.

This, however, is not that timeline. 

He’s in such a rush in the morning, he doesn’t even realize he’s forgotten his umbrella until he’s exiting the subway, and, as he tries to locate where he’s supposed to transfer lines, gets absolutely  _ drenched _ . He throws him into such a tizzy that he ends up getting off at the wrong stop, or maybe just getting on the wrong train altogether, he’s not sure.

Regardless, by the time he manages to find a proper awning to stand under, he’s cold, wet, and shivering uncontrollably. Part of him wishes he had brung some backup clothes with him, or  _ something _ , but he didn’t. Now, he’s lost, uncomfortable,  _ and _ late for school.

Not a great way to start his time here. 

He pulls out his phone, planning on at least shooting a text to Yoshida about his tardiness, but his gaze instantly catches on that strange red and black eye app again.

“What the…?” Yusuke mutters, but before he can do anything more, movement out of the corner of his eye causes him to look up, straight at a girl-- almost as drenched as he is-- looking at him.

Her hair is long, brown, and tied back neatly into a ponytail with blunt bangs covering her forehead. Her reddish-brown eyes are filled with concern, her brow furrowing as she observes him. Yusuke doesn’t recognize the uniform she’s wearing, though he has a suspicion it’s not a proper version of whatever uniform she’s supposed to be wearing. 

The black and red pleated skirt seems right enough, as well as the black pantyhose and ankle-tall boots, but the red turtleneck seems to be a bit  _ too _ bright to be regulation, causing her black blazer to truly stand out against it. His eyes catch on a pair of panda head-shaped earrings, which match the panda head-shaped clip in her hair. Aesthetically… she’s fairly nice-looking. Definitely someone he would’ve asked to model for a painting back home.

“... You’re not supposed to be here, are you?” She asks quietly, and Yusuke has to take a moment to process what was just said to him.

“Ah, no,” He fumbles out, “I’m supposed to be at Kosei High right now. I… got a bit lost.”

“First time on the subway?”

“Yes,” Yusuke blinks. “How did you--”

“I may or may not have accidentally ended up following you a bit while you were trying to find your way around. Sorry about that,” She awkwardly rubs the back of her neck, then, holding out her hand, says, “I’m Makoto Niijima. I go to Shujin Academy. If you need a place to dry off properly, I can probably take you there. It’s not too long of a walk, and since I’m student council president, I should be able to convince a teacher to help explain to your school what happened.”

Yusuke hesitates, but takes her hand and gives it a single firm shake. “Yusuke Kitagawa. I… yes, that would probably be the best course of action.”

“Glad to see we’re in agreement,” Niijima lets out a slight laugh. “Now, let’s--”

“Hey there!”

A voice causes them both to startle, and they turn to see the source of it: A man in his car.

Yusuke can’t get a proper look at him, but from what he can see of the man, he has unkempt black hair, dark eyes, and an overall  _ bad _ vibe.

“Oh,” Niijima says quietly, almost hesitantly, “Hello, coach.”

“Is this guy bothering you, Niijima? Just say the word and I’ll--”

“No no, it’s not like that at all,” Niijima says it quickly,  _ too _ quickly. “He’s actually just lost. I offered to walk him to Shujin so he could dry off a bit and call his school to explain why he’s late.”

“I see… You two want a ride?”

Yusuke is about to open his mouth to answer, but Niijima cuts him off with a quick, “No thank you, I think it’s better if we walk. In case something like this happens again.”

“Whatever you say. Stay safe, you two! Oh, and Niijima: If you see that delinquent Takamaki, tell him to stop messing with my stuff. I  _ know _ it’s him.”

Niijima just nods, and with that, the man in the car is gone. Niijima lets out a relieved sigh.

“Sorry about that,” She says, “That’s the volleyball coach at my school, Suguru Kamoshida.”

“He seems… untrustworthy.”

That earns a slight snort from Niijima. Yusuke smiles at the small victory.

“Yeah, he’s… something like that,” She frowns, continuing, “He kinda thinks of Shujin as his castle. Nobody’s ever willing to stand up to him. Well, except for maybe Morgana, but he’s… Well, anyways, we better get going. The rain looks like it’s finally letting up a bit.”

Yusuke nods, but as soon as the pair take a step forward, the whole world seems to tilt for a second, sending a wave of dizziness through Yusuke. It briefly throws him off-balance, but he recovers. Niijima looks like she felt it, too, but brushes it off.

“I-I’m okay. C’mon, I know a shortcut.”

\---

“Huh,” Iwai leans back in his seat, his cold gaze managing to pierce through the haze in Yusuke’s mind enough to cause the younger man to shiver. Or maybe that was just because of how cold it is in the room. Or maybe the drugs. Who knows? “So, this was when you met your first target. I imagine you just getting a ‘bad vibe’ from him didn’t automatically put him in your sights, especially considering he doesn’t even teach at your school. You also haven’t explained your methods yet, but I’m assuming you’re getting there.”

Yusuke nods. “I am aware you place Kamoshida in the same category as all the other breakdowns and shutdowns, but I assure you, our methods were--  _ are _ \-- different… I--  _ Ngh _ \--”

Yusuke’s head throbs for a moment, but then it passes. Iwai waits silently for Yusuke to make eye contact with him again, and then says, “Alright. Continue your story. Don’t leave anything out, and  _ don’t _ lie to me. I’ll know if you are.”

Yusuke can’t help but smirk slightly, even managing a slight chuckle. “I will take your word for it, but you may soon find that in this story… the truth is stranger than fiction.”

\---

“Wh-what the--” Niijima’s voice is sharp from the end of the alleyway, causing Yusuke to ignore the strange feeling he had from the alleyway and rush forward. As soon as he sees what she’s looking at, he can’t help but blink.

“Did… we take a wrong turn?”

“No! I’m-- I’m almost  _ positive _ we didn’t. I take this route almost  _ every  _ day, there’s no way we got lost.”

“So, this is Shujin?” Yusuke feels stupid for asking it, mostly because they’re looking at a Europeon-style castle in the middle of Tokyo, and he’s pretty sure a random prep school wouldn’t look like that.

“It’s…  _ supposed _ to be. The sign says it is, but… this  _ isn’t _ what the school looks like. At  _ all _ .”

“This is quite odd, then.”

“You’re telling me…” Niijima takes a deep breath. “Maybe we should go inside? Ask someone where we are?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Yusuke says, really just wanting to get out of the rain again. “Lead the way.”

\---

“This is so  _ weird _ ,” Niijima says, wide eyes taking in their surroundings. “I mean, you saw that, right? It flashed to be the school for a second, but it’s  _ not _ .”

“If it’s not the school, then what  _ is  _ it?”

“I don’t know!” Niijima exclaims, clearly hitting the end of her rope. She pulls out her phone. “Hold on, I’m going to call someone, maybe they can--  _ Out of service _ ? But-- We’re in the middle of the city!”

“This… certainly is strange,” Yusuke says quietly, “Should we try to find someone to help us?”

“Maybe-- Oh!”

Suddenly, a man in armor comes out of seemingly  _ nowhere _ , approaching the two of them silently. A tight knot of unease forms in Yusuke’s stomach, and he can’t stop himself from placing a hand on Niijima’s shoulder, both to ground her and himself.

He squeezes his hand as another approaches. “Niijima, perhaps we should leave now.”

“Y-yeah,” Niijima, turns and grabs Yusuke by the arm and they start to walk away, but their path is blocked by two more armored men. They’re surrounded. When Niijima tries to get closer to Yusuke, he actually allows it.

“Please,” He says as diplomatically as possible, “We apologize for trespassing, we were simply looking for assistance--”

The guards slowly advance, and the last thing Yusuke remembers is hearing Niijima shriek as something hard smacks into the back of his head.

\---

“--gawa-kun?”

Yusuke screws his eyes shut, trying to block out the voice that’s intruding on his slumber, but apparently that action only serves to make it louder.

“Kitagawa-kun,  _ please _ get up!  _ Please _ !”

The memories come rushing back, and Yusuke nearly smacks right into Niijima when he quickly sits up. The action proves to be a mistake, because it only makes the entire world tilt sideways for a moment. He can feel a pair of hands steadying him to his right, and his eyes lock with Niijima’s.

“Oh thank goodness, you’re alive,” She says, “Well, I knew you were alive, you were breathing, but-- Are you okay? They hit you pretty hard.”

“I’m--” The world finally stops spinning around him, settling the way it’s supposed to. “I’m alright, thank you. What about you?”

“I’m fine,” She says, “No thanks to those guards. They didn’t knock me out, but they certainly didn’t treat me well.”

Yusuke nods, slowly standing and fully taking in his surroundings. As he does, his stomach drops.

“We’re…”

“In a cell, yeah,” Niijima stands up with him. “I’ve been looking for a way to escape, but…”

“I understand. I suppose all we can do is wait, then?”

“It would seem--.”

A scream in the distance causes both teenagers to startle. A chill begins to climb up Yusuke’s spine, and it makes him want to bolt. Or throw a punch. Neither would help in this situation.

“Oh god… What  _ was _ that?” Niijima asks, and Yusuke simply shakes his head. He has no idea. 

They don’t have to wait long for answers, however, because the sound of metallic feet clanging on the cobblestone floor begins to approach, two guards walking up to the cell they’re trapped in.

“Your punishment has been decided upon. Be grateful.”

“P-Punishment?” Niijima stands up straight, her voice switching from afraid to  _ stern _ at the drop of a hat. “Just what  _ exactly _ did we  _ do _ ?”

“Your charge is unlawful entry,” The guard says, “And your punishment is  _ death _ .”

“ _ What? _ ” Yusuke and Niijima say it at the same time, stepping back from the bars of their cell in horror. 

A new voice comes from the distance. “Sorry, Niijima, but I just can’t allow people to do whatever they want in my castle.”

“That voice…” Yusuke mutters, “Could it be?”

His suspicions are confirmed when Kamoshida-- dressed in nothing but a speedo, heart-patterned royal cape, a crown, and some slippers-- walks up to the cell.

“You know, I thought I’d find some petty thief here, but instead, all I get is you. Pity. I was hoping it’d be that brat, Takamaki. I would’ve  _ enjoyed _ killing him.”

“Just-- Why don’t you just let us go?! We won’t come back, we promise!”

“I can’t just allow you people to do whatever you want,” Kamoshida looks over at Yusuke, scowling. “Especially when  _ outsiders _ are involved. An example has to be made. A king  _ does _ have an image to upkeep, after all.”

One of the guards moves forward, sending Yusuke and Niijima scrambling back.

“H-hey!” Niijima shouts, “Help! Somebody! Please!”

Yusuke’s entire world seems to  _ lurch _ , because it’s almost  _ exactly _ like the woman from that night. His entire body seems to seize up.

“Kitagawa-kun, just go!” Niijima shouts, trying to kick one of the guards, only to earn a shove backwards into the wall. “Run!”

Yusuke can’t. He’s frozen solid, that chill in his spine slowly spreading to the rest of his body as one of the guards lifts Niijima up by her neck. Kamoshida laughs, and Yusuke is sure he’s being taunted, but he can’t hear it over the rush of blood in his ears.

He can’t hear the words that are exchanged between Kamoshida and Niijima, but apparently it’s bad enough that Kamoshida decides to  _ hit _ her with a slap that’s so loud, it pulls Yusuke back into the moment, the chill settling into his bones as a cold  _ rage _ . 

“Leave her alone!” Yusuke shouts through gritted teeth. “Have you lost your mind?”

Kamoshida whips around, a deep scowl on his face. Niijima’s eyes are wide in shock.

“Enough,  _ interloper _ ,” Kamoshida hisses, kicking Yusuke onto the ground. “Guards, keep him there. I’ll handle little miss president.”

Yusuke tries to rush forward, to do  _ something _ to stop this, but two of the guards grab him by either shoulder and hold him against the wall, their strength too much for his struggling. 

“ _ Please _ ,” Niijima begs, “I don’t want to die!”

Yusuke growls in frustration, the chill in his bones growing so cold, it almost feels  _ hot _ .

The world slows, the lights dim, and Yusuke looks up to see… a butterfly?

“ _ This truly is an unjust game… Your chances of winning are almost none. However, if my voice can reach you, there may just be hope for us yet. _ ”

“Wh--” Yusuke doesn’t have time to ask any questions, because the butterfly disappears in a flash of light.

The chill in his bones begins to move again, swirling and  _ burning _ .

**_Is this the end, then?_ **

Yusuke gasps quietly, desperately looking around for the source of the voice. 

**_Are you truly willing to stand by when an innocent is in danger? Are you willing to forsake all that you stand for simply because you are afraid?_ **

Yusuke grits his teeth in anger. Yes, he’s afraid. Terrified, but… 

**_Shall you condemn her to her fate? Shall you simply accept yours? Is that what you should have done previously?_ **

“No,” Yusuke mutters, memories of that night flashing in his mind, “I did the right thing, no matter what anyone says.”

**_I was rather hoping you’d say that._ **

Yusuke begins to struggle against the grip of the guards, pushing forward in a desperate attempt to get to Kamoshida. His fists are balled so tight, he’s almost  _ positive _ he’s going to make himself bleed, but he  _ refuses _ to simply sit by and be a  _ bystander _ to something so cruel. So  _ unjust _ .

**_Our goals are finally aligned. It is time._ **

Pain spikes through his body, the chill in his bones all suddenly rushing to his brain and-- Oh, Yusuke is screaming,  _ writhing _ in pain, because it  _ hurts _ . It hurts worse than any injury he’s ever had, and he can’t help but scream.

It attracts attention, or he thinks it does, because he can distantly hear Kamoshida say something-- Something no doubt  _ abhorrent _ and  _ disgusting _ , just like the rest of him.

**_I am thou. Thou art I._ **

**_Thou, who refuses to play by the rules of cruel and unjust rulers, no matter the cost to yourself. Who would gladly go down protecting those in need._ **

**_Thy rage is thy blade. Wield it!_ **

**_Cut these revolting beings to ribbons, and bury them in the blizzard from thy heart! Make it so they know that those who live in such garish opulence are abominations, and that those abominations..._ **

**_ARE FATED TO PERISH!_ **

The world snaps into focus, everything clearer than it’s been is a very,  _ very _ long time. His gaze slowly rises upward, meeting Kamoshida’s confused glance. 

“Did I not make myself clear?” He snarls out, his voice low and more venomous than he’s ever managed to make it before, “I said: Leave. Her. Alone. Before I tear you  _ apart _ .”

“You  _ dare _ threaten  _ me _ ? That’s it! Forget the bitch, this peasant is going  _ first _ .” 

What happens next happens in a blur. Yusuke is slammed against the wall again, but due to the force of it, it knocks the wind out of lungs, catching him off-guard. Then, there are spears, crossing in front of him, keeping him pinned there as another guard steps forward, raises his sword, and then--

_ Something _ happens. Yusuke isn’t sure what. It’s like all the cold inside of him just suddenly rushes out, shoving away the guards and Kamoshida, surprising everyone in the room. It solidifies on his face, a fox mask with red accents, and it  _ burns _ .

Without even thinking, he grips the edges of the mask with both hands, tugging and grunting as cold fire rushes through his veins, through his  _ soul _ , as he finally,  _ finally _ tears the mask away. 

His face is covered in blood. His eyes are a bright golden-yellow. He feels a vaguely  _ feral _ smile on his face, laughter bubbling up from his throat before he can stop it. His whole body feels light,  _ free _ , and as the blue flames engulf him, he can’t help but think about how  _ right _ it feels.

Just behind him, rising from the flames, is a figure straight out of a ukiyo-e painting, or at least heavily based on one. Though the figure has an intense look, Yusuke knows it will protect him, because it  _ is _ him. 

Speaking of him, Yusuke himself  _ also _ looks different.

Instead of his half-hearted attempt at a more comfortable and cost-effective Kosei High uniform, he’s now wearing a navy blue jumpsuit with a lighter blue sleeveless coat over it, as well as  _ bright _ blue gloves, a red and white-striped sash that goes over the coat, and white biker boots. He also, apparently, has two fluffy white tails attached to the sash, red ribbons wrapped around each of them. The coat itself goes down to just above his knees and has some  _ impressive _ graffiti art along the bottom of it, stuff that Yusuke himself would’ve probably created back home.

He can’t help but think about how…  _ right _ it feels to be wearing this.

With a flourish of Yusuke’s hands, a gust of cold wind blows away the guards and Kamoshida with ease. Another laugh escapes him. He can’t help it. He hasn’t felt this free in…  _ forever _ .

“ **_I am the outlaw of many legends, Goemon!_ ** ” The figure behind Yusuke declares, and it’s only then that Yusuke takes notice of Niijima once more, a terrified look on her face. He can’t blame her, but there are more important things right now. “ **_I am the rebel’s soul that storms within you. With my assistance, we shall break through the enemy and free ourselves from this crisis. Do you accept?_ ** ”

Yusuke stares up at Goemon, and, with a smile, says, “I think you already know my answer.”

“ **_Indeed I do!_ ** ”

“Who the hell-- Guards!” Kamoshida-- Yusuke had almost forgotten about him-- shouts, “Start by killing that one! Protect your king!”

The guards erupt and change into a different form, two floating pumpkin-headed…  _ things _ . Yusuke’s grin seems to only grow. He’s going to have  _ fun _ .

\---

Yusuke feels like he’s about to pass out. 

That fight, awakening… whatever the hell that was, all the  _ running _ … they’re nowhere  _ near _ escaping and he feels like he’s run three marathons in a row, and then some. That, along with Niijima’s near constant questions about  _ what the hell happened _ \-- which Yusuke doesn’t even  _ know _ \-- is helping create a  _ major _ headache. 

“Okay, let’s just,” Niijima takes a deep breath as they crouch behind some crates. “Let’s take a second, collect ourselves, and confirm that we’re  _ both _ seeing everything that’s going on here.”

“We are,” Yusuke confirms.

“Including the demon thing you totally summoned back there? The one that changed your clothes?”

“De-- He’s  _ not _ a demon.”

“You summoned him! With fire! And creepy weird laughter and stuff!” Niijima whisper-yells, “It’s totally a demon!”

“He’s  _ not _ \--” Yusuke snaps, unsure why he’s getting so defensive over Goemon, but before the argument can go any further, a new voice joins into the conversation.

“Uh, hello?” The voice sounds like a normal teenage girl, which is enough to have the two teens look at each other in shock. None of the other prisoners had said anything to them. “Is somebody there? Preferably not ones who want to execute me?”

The two look into the very last cell in the hall, just to their right, and they see--

“Okay, yeah, no, there’s no way this is happening right now,” Niijima says, her voice strained, “Do you also see…”

“The cat creature?” Yusuke nods. “Yes.”

“Uh, hello? I’m  _ right  _ here?” The creature says, sounding somewhat offended. “And I’m  _ not _ a cat! My name is  _ Ann _ .”

The cat creature--  _ Ann _ \-- probably gets about up to Yusuke’s knees, maybe a little shorter. Her fur is mostly red, though various parts-- the “hands”, the “feet”, a couple splotches on the chest, and half of its face-- are a very light, almost white, pink. Which… are very odd colors for a cat of  _ any _ kind, really. Though, the two strangest parts are probably the cat-face mask she actually seems to wear and the fact that she has… well, fluffy, blonde pigtails.

“Listen, we don’t have much time,” Ann says, a desperate edge to her voice, “The guards’ll be here any minute! You gotta help me!”

“Okay, okay,” Niijima says, “What do you need us to do?”

“The keys to my cell are right over there on the wall,” Ann points out a set of keys on a ring, just to the right side of the cell. “If you let me out, I’ll help you guys escape too, okay?”

Yusuke and Niijima exchange a look, and then, with a nod, Yusuke grabs the keys without another moment of hesitation and lets the cat-- girl-- thing out. She let out a sigh of relief, stretching a bit before going over to one of the nearby boxes and grabbing--

“Is that… a  _ whip _ ?” Yusuke asks.

“And a  _ gun _ ?” Niijima adds.

Ann smiles brightly up at them. “Yup! Now let’s get moving. Just be quiet, and let me handle everything, okay?”

Yusuke and Niijima, not knowing what else to do, nod, and let Ann lead the way.

\---

_ You have returned to the real world. Welcome back. _

“I think…” Niijima takes in a harsh breath. “I think we made it. That was-- Wait, did your phone just say… returned to the real world?”

“I believe so…” Yusuke mutters, “That’s… strange.”

“You’re telling me… That castle, Kamoshida, the cat…  _ thing _ … I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Niijima glances over at his phone, and, with wide eyes, exclaims, “Oh god! The day’s hald over already!”

A bolt of fear strikes Yusuke. “Oh no.”

“C’mon, we need to hurry before a police officer thinks we’re skipping class… We’ll definitely need to call your school now, too. I just hope you don’t get into too much trouble.”

Yusuke nods. “Please, lead the way. Let’s hope we  _ actually _ get there this time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come check me out on tumblr!
> 
> persona blog: tatsuya-didntdeservethis
> 
> main blog: fandom-trash224


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